So Far PSE&G Holds it Together in Heat Wave

Into the second day of a record-breaking heat wave, is keeping up with the demand for power in central New Jersey.

Only several hundred customers were without power as of this morning, the utility company said in a statement. More than 7,000 Hudson County customers had lost power when a cable failed, but service was restored several hours later.

Crews were working through the night to restore power, they said.

Officials said that PSE&G had realized an unofficial peak demand yesterday. The all time record of 11,108 megawatts was set in August, 2006.

The utility is calling on customers to conserve power during this peak power demand period:

• Turn off everything you're not using: lights, TVs, computers, etc. Use dimmers, timers, and motion detectors on indoor and outdoor lighting.
• Close blinds, shades, and draperies facing the sun to keep the heat out and help fans and air conditioners cool more efficiently.
• Close doors leading to uncooled parts of your home. With central air conditioning, close off vents to unused rooms.
• Delay heat-producing tasks such as washing and drying laundry, or washing dishes, until later in the day, and wait until you have a full load before you run appliances.
• Refrain from usin gnonessential appliances. Unplug or use only when necessary an extra refrigerator in the basement or garage. Customers should consider setting their thermostats to 78 degrees, weather permitting.

In the event of a power outage, call PSE&G's customer service number at 1-800-436-PSEG.